Gig Reviews | Interviews | Music News

Jeff Rosenstock made us fall in love with punk all over again

With support from Chris Farren, Rosenstock delivered a stellar performance at London’s Village Underground.

Having released his brand new album POST- on Quote Unquote Records/Specialist Subject Records earlier this year, which received rave reviews almost everywhere imaginable Stateside, Jeff Rosenstock returned to the UK earlier this month with Chris Farren.

POST- was written in a double-wide trailer in the Catskill Mountain town of East Durham, the snow-covered hills surrounding him like a landscape of blank pages. The serene, empty space was a big change of scenery for a guy who bounces around the world like a human comet, playing super-catchy, super-devastating shout-alongs to dedicated fans around the world. So when Jeff took the stage at London’s Village Underground, you can imagine what a treat it was!

With support from Chris Farren, of Fake Problems, the night was off to an epic start. If you’ve not seen Chris live yet you are truly missing out. In 2016 he released his solo record Can’t Die and he’s currently teaming up with Jeff Rosenstock for new project Antarctigo Vespucci. Chris kicks off his set with a prerecorded thanks-for-coming message to which he just fills in the blanks (city and venue) resulting in instant smiles all around. With tracks like Brighter and Baby, Chris delivers another perfect set, sexy wall projections included.

Stepping onto the stage to a loop of Foo Fighter’s Best Of Me, Jeff Rosenstock and his band launch straight into USA, taken off their 2018 record POST-. With the front rows jumping in ecstasy the tone for the night is set and London’s Village Underground is in for an absolute treat.

Whether it’s recent singles like Melba or older tracks like Polar Bear Or Africa (taken off his 2015 album We Cool?) – the crowd is well and truly here for all of it. “This goes out to the people in the front, you’re fucking warriors.” Jeff calls out as he kicks off 2016’s banger Wave Goodnight To Me.

It seems that especially with punk shows these days, the bands go the extra mile and make an effort to make sure everyon in the room is aware of their no tolerance to sexual harassment policy. Jeff’s passionate anti-groping speech left no doubt that that kind of behaviour is not welcome at his shows.

The huge 23-track setlist is not just impressive in numbers but in content as well, playing eleven of seventeen songs off WORRY and seven out of ten tracks off latest release POST-. Tunes like the epic Yr Throat or Nausea, reignite anyone’s passion for punk music (if you’ve ever lost it) or just make you fall in love even more with this grungy, messy goodness.

With an extended outro and the best song to bring us all a little closer in the shape of We Begged 2 Explode, Jeff Rosenstock and his band send us off into the night with a warm an fuzzy feeling in our punk hearts.